Chapter 082: Mutated Giant Rat! A Close Call!

Daphne's face was dark, her deep purple eyes dim with exhaustion. She hadn't rested for two days and nights. Even though she was an evolutionary, her low constitution meant that such fatigue was taking a heavy toll on her.

She had never imagined that the problems brought by the apocalypse would escalate so quickly, far beyond her expectations. Solving the zombie crisis didn't mean everything was fine. The continuous flow of new evolutionaries arriving was one challenge, but the rat infestation, which began in the middle of the night and lasted until dawn, was another disaster for this newly established settlement.

"Damn apocalypse!" Daphne angrily slammed her fist on the coffee table.

If it weren't for the disruptive magnetic field caused by the apocalypse, she would have had submachine guns, flamethrowers, and burning plains to roast these giant rats. But now, they could only fight with cold weapons and rely on their evolutionary abilities, making the situation extremely difficult.

The fragile morale that had been painstakingly built over the past few days was once again shattered by the events of the night. Daphne felt helpless—if they only had a few more days, the construction of the Roshan Wall would have been completed, and the surrounding forests cleared. Then, those rats wouldn't have been so hard to defend against. But now, everyone was on edge, and even she, with all her strength, couldn't fix the situation fast enough.

As Daphne wrestled with her frustration, Nicole rushed into the room, her face pale with panic.

Seeing Nicole's expression, Daphne's face hardened. She had already heard more than enough bad news that night. And this new piece was bound to be even worse.

"Sister Daphne, we're in serious trouble! There's a stronger mutant rat in the villa area—it might be the Rat King! Several of our people have already been killed by that monster!"

People killed? Daphne felt lightheaded.

Those were her strongest fighters—her most trusted assets. Every death was a significant loss. A fierce look flashed in Daphne's eyes.

"Take me there! We'll kill that beast!"

At that moment, Daphne's queenly demeanor erupted with deadly intent. The words of a certain man echoed in her mind.

In this apocalypse, the only thing you can truly rely on is your own strength.

But when she finally saw the giant rat, even Daphne couldn't help but gasp in shock.

The mutant rats they had fought so far were roughly the size of wolf dogs. But the giant rat now standing in front of the villa was as large as a calf.

The most terrifying part, however, wasn't just its size—despite its bulk, the giant rat moved with frightening speed, like an out-of-control tank. It charged forward with such power that even without using its sharp teeth, a simple collision could kill an evolutionary instantly.

Daphne understood the gravity of the situation. Her dark purple eyes flashed as she activated her appraisal skill, focusing on the giant rat battling a group of evolutionaries:

[Mutated Giant Rat (Level 5)]

- Strength: 18

- Agility: 20

- Constitution: 19

- Spirit: 3

[The level difference is too great to further assess additional details.]

What terrifying stats!

Daphne drew a sharp breath. If evolutionaries only gained two free attribute points per level, they'd need to be over level ten just to begin matching this monster. Evolutionary talents, equipment, and skills offered some advantage, but without them, catching up to these monstrous creatures would be nearly impossible.

Even with such advantages, this rat was not something ordinary people could handle.

The bodies strewn around the battlefield made that clear enough. The pressure from this monstrous rat was overwhelming. Some of the evolutionaries instinctively retreated, while others, still determined, stood their ground, steel swords clutched tightly.

Then, the rat's bloodthirsty, scarlet eyes locked onto Daphne.

Her appraisal skill was helpful, but using it on high-level creatures was risky—and now, it had provoked the giant rat.

The rat shifted its attention away from the other evolutionaries and charged directly at Daphne, like a speeding vehicle.

Daphne felt her entire body tense up. The giant rat rushed at her with terrifying speed.

"Madam!" a voice shouted.

Some of the guards looked on indifferently, relieved that the rat's focus had shifted from them, while others, horrified, rushed to protect Daphne. Nicole, in particular, ran to block the giant rat's path, determined to shield her.

The entire villa district seemed frozen, watching this dangerous encounter unfold.

But the rat was too fast.

Nicole had witnessed its devastating power before—when it charged, it could crush a person into a bloody pulp. But even knowing this, she didn't hesitate. The dagger in her hand offered little comfort, but she still raced forward to buy Daphne time.

Many of the evolutionaries nearby couldn't react fast enough to stop the giant rat. They could only watch in horror as the ferocious beast barreled toward Nicole and Daphne.

Their eyes were filled with despair. After all, if it weren't for Daphne, many of their families would have been lost in the early days of the apocalypse, just like countless other tragedies. The power and status they held now were thanks to her, and they owed her their lives.

Their fear grew as they imagined what would happen if something happened to Daphne—how would they face Novak when he returned?

But it seemed too late. The giant rat was closing in, and stopping it seemed like an impossible dream. Nicole gritted her teeth, preparing to fight back, hoping to buy a few precious moments for Daphne to escape.

Suddenly, a black and red streak of lightning descended from the sky, intercepting the giant rat in mid-charge.

The unstoppable rat, which had been charging like a tank, was sent flying backward as if it had hit an invisible wall. The impact was so powerful, the rat flew back even faster than it had charged, as if its momentum had been reversed.

Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief as they finally focused on the figure that had intervened.

It was none other than Novak, a figure known throughout the world since last night.